Seaming head



Sept. 20, 1938. N. P.' BACH 2,130,518

EAMING HEAD Filed Sept. 3, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rig Z aff f /s $47 U7@j INVENTO sept. 2Q, 193s. N. P. BACH f 2,130,518`

' SEAMING HEAD v v Filed sept'. 3,' A1935' s sheets-sheet s jing headtaken lsubstantially' along the broken Patented sept. 20, 193sSEAMINGIIEAD Neils P. Bach, Geneva, N. Y., assignor to American CanCompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationSeptember 3, 1935, SerialNo. 39,078

'o claims.

-body and end closure parts in a finished seam o f uniform thicknessthroughout.

An object of the invention is the provision of seaming mechanismjofcompact and simple con struction wherein the seaming rollers are'carried in controlled paths of travel around the contour of a can andAend closure to be seamed and may be'adjusted for wear so that they willaccurately follow associated can contour following rollers during theseaming operation to eiect an'interfolding of thecan 'and end closureparts in a iinished seam having a yuniform thickness throughout andhaving the s ame peripheral contour as that of the containerl Anotheryobject is the` provision in such a mechanism of devices for shiftingthe seaming rollersv` Y.

and the can contour following rollers as a unit relative to thecontrolling means and in respect to the can contour without altering the-shape of the path of travel of the rollers around the can contour. eAnother object is the'provision in a mechanism of this character whereinthe seaming rollers maybe adjustably moved into alignment with the 'cancontour following rollers and 'the aligned rollers moved as a unit inrespect to the contour of a. can to be seamed without dsassociation fromthe controlling means and yet permitting movement between the rollersrelative to each other.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which; takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof. Allieferringto the drawings:

Figure 1 is 'a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a can closingmachine showing'sin crosssection'a seeming head embodying the instant:invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional .view o f the seamline 2-2in Fig. 1, parts being broken back;

Fig. 3 is an elev tion of a detail of the seaming head as viewed sbstantially along the line 3 3. in Fig. 2, parts being broken away;

` Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one 'of the seaming units;

Fig.' 5 is an enlarged part sectional view and part elevation takensubstantially along the broken line 5 5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken subf stantially along thebroken line 6-6 in Fig. 5,- partsnbeing broken back and other partsremoved;

Fig. 7. is an enlarged side elevation andvertical sectional view of theseaming head otjFlg. 2, the 10 "sectional part being taken substantiallyalong the broken line l-l in Fig. 2 ;v and Figs. 8 and 9 are verticalsectional views taken" substantially along the `lines 8`8 and 9 9respectively in Fig. 6. y1 5 'I'he preferred( form of apparatusdisclosed in the drawings comprises a support housing or f frame i l(Fig. 1) which may be partof a seaming machine of either the singlespindle lor the multiple spindle type. .When the machine has a singlespindle the housing I lis stationary, whereas if the machine is of themultiple spindle type, this housing may form part of a rotating elementor turret. l

'I'he housing Il supports a seaming head comprising stationary andmovablelparts. The stationary parts of the seaming lhead proper arecarried on a head sleevel2 which is held at its upper end ina splitbearing formed as a semicircular boss I3 in the housing. The sleeve istightly clamped in the bearing by a bearing cap I4 which is formedaspart of a housing cover4 having a depending skirt portion I5 whichencloses the front and sides of the entire seaming mechanism Theheadsleeve is vertically supported in its bearing on a anged nut i6which" .threadedly engages the upper end of the sleeve and which isscrewed tightly on top oftheboss I3 and cap I4.l Y. S i .'I'he headsleeve l2 extends down through the 40 movable parts of the 'seaming headand at its lowi er end is formed Hwith a laterally extending ange,

i8. A stationary pattern cam I9 having a. cam track 2l is held on thebottom face of the 'head sleeve ange for guiding seaming rollers lin apath 4of travel around a`can to be. closed.

The cam is held on the ange by a cam Isleeve 22 which isV .centrallydisposed inside the head sleeve. i2. The lower` end or the cam sleevels'threadedly-secured vin the 'cam at its center while the upper end of thesleeve isprovided with an enlarged head 23 which rests on top of theupper exd of the head sleeve l2 for vertically supporting .the cam. Byturning the' head 23 the cam is drawn up into tight fitting engagement zwith the head sleeve ange I8, the cam being A chuck. 26 is secured tothe bottom of the cam I9 for cooperative action with 'the seaming Vrollsin performing the seaming operation and for locating and assistingholding the cam and can end to be seamed. The shape or contour of thischuck is the same as the shape of the can and likewise the shape of thecam track 2| is of the same shape. .These contours are rectangular inform for a rectangular can. For a circular can these. contours would becircular.

For holding the can there is provided a lift plunger 3| which is mountedon the upper end of a stem 32, having vertical sliding movement in abearing 33, formed in a web 34, which projects outwardlyfrom the housingI I and which extends under the seaming head.` The stem is raised andlowered in timed relation with the other moving parts of the machine byany suitable and well known means. Such a plunger supports a can 35 onwhich a cover or end closure 36 has preferably been loosely applied. Asthe can and coverl are raised with the rising plunger, the cover ispressed against `the chuck 26 in the usual manner, the can and coverbeing clamped stationary between the chuck and the plunger throughoutthe seaming operation.

The moving or rotating parts of the seaming head proper (Fig. 1) arecarried on two separate sleeves, a head frame sleeve 38, mounted on thevhead sleeve I2, and a seaming cam sleeve 39 mounted on the sleeve 38.The sleeve 39 is journaled in a split bearing formed as a semi#`circular boss 4| `in a web 42 ofthe housing I I.

The lower end of the sleeve extends below the y bearing and is keyed toa barrel cam 41 which is continuously rotated bythe gear 46 and whichengages with the under side of the bearing thus preventing verticalmovement of thesleeve. The cam 41 is held in this position against thebearing by a collar46 which is disposed in a recess 49 formed in thelower end of the cam, and which threadedly engages thelower end of thesleeve 39.

'I'he upper end of the head'irame sleeve 38,v

like the seaming camjs'leevel Y39, is also provided with a laterallyextending ange 52 which restsl on top of the gear 46, and which in turncarries a gear 53. This lattergear isprovided with a 'central'hub 54which encircles-the head Vsleeve I2 tends below the lend of the camsleeve 39 and terminates in a shouldered end which carries an inverteddish shaped head frame 55. The head frame is continuously rotated by thegear 53 through the sleeve connection and comprises a central hub 56which is keyed to the end of the sleeve 38 and is held in place by acollar 51,

which threadedly engages the extreme end of the sleeve 38. The hub isformed with a horizontal' lower converging tapered surfaces 16, 11.

aladinoT A extends down over and spaced'away from the stationary cam |9.

The head frame carries devices in which the seaming rollers are mountedand which move them into and out of engagement with the can and coverparts while they are moved around the can`contour guided by the pattern'cam for effecting the seaming operation. There areitw'o sets of thesedevices, identical in construction and simultaneously actuated butdisposed diametrically on opposite sides of the can. Hence it is thoughtnecessary to fdescribe only one device in detail.

I The device comprises in part a horizontally disposed pattern cam arm6| (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and '1) which is formed at one end with avertical pivot sleeve 62, and this sleeve is mounted in a bearing 63,which projects inwardly from the vertical wall 59 of the head frame 55.The sleeve is held in the bearing by a nut 64 (Fig. 5) which' rests onthe bottom of a recess 65 formed in the top of the. bearing and whichthreadedly engages a shouldered upper end of the sleeve.

The free end f the arrn`6| carries a cam roller 61 (Fig. A7) which isrotatably mounted on a bushing 68 with its lower end in engagement witha shoulder formed by an enlarged depending'skirt portion 69. It is thisroller which is moved'in `the stationary pattern cam groove by therotating head frame for guiding the seaming roller around the cancontour.' The roller is held on the bushing by a spring ring 1| whichengages the top end of the roller and which is disposed in a groove 12formed in the upper end of the bushing. The bushing in turnisfadjustably mounted on screw threads 13 formed von a stud 14 which isriveted into the end of the pattern cam arm 6I.

v The cam roller 61 engages within the pattern cam track 2| and isprovided with upper and These surfaces engage Y .with correspondinglytapered surfaces 18, 19 formed in the cam track, the surfacev 18 beingformed in the outer track, while the surface 19 is formed on the innertrack, the angles of inclination of all the tapers beingequal yfor apurpose hereinafter explained.

A seamingroller arm 8l is disposed below the pattern cam arm 6| andmoves with it.. At one y end, this arm is formed with a` bore 82 theedges of which form a bearing which is mounted on a pivot shoulder 83 ofa hollow cap 84. T he cap is secured to the -bottom face ofthe arm 6|byscrews 85 (Fig. 4) and held in spaced relation vthereto by spacerblocks 86 which surround the screws. In this manner the cap supportstheseaming roller arm and holds it against the bottom vof the cam arm whileat the same time providing a pivot for the former which is coaxialwith'the sleeve 62 of the latter.

The opposite or free end of the seaming roller arm 8| is bifurca-ted asat 88 (Figs. 4 and 7) and carries a stud 89 on which is mounted aseaming roller 9|, the central axis of the stud. and roller being indirect alignment with the central axis of the cam roller when the formeris directly under the latter.

The seaming roller arm 8| and the cam roller arm 6| lare adapted to bemoved about their common pivot point as a unit and yet at times they arecapable'of having movement relative to each other. For this purpose thefree endsof the arms are yieldingly tied together by a coiled spring 93(Figs. 1, 5 and`6). Onel end of the spring hooks over a pin 94 which issecured in the end of the 75 through a swivel block 95 which is mountedin a lug 96 formed as a part of the cam roller arm 6|.`

Movement of the arms relative to each other as when moving thel seamingroller into and out of seaming position, is effected by a wedge slide||l| (Figs. 5 and 6) which is horizontally disposed in a channel |02formed in the bottom of the cam roller arm 6|. The wedge slide is heldagainst vertical displacement between the top of the channel and the topof the seaming roller arm 8|. The forward end of the wedge slide isformed in a blunt wedge |03 (Fig. 6) the side walls of which merge intoa pair of parallel wall sections |04. These latter sections extend intooutwardly projecting cam protuberances |05 which form an enlarged parton the sides of the wedge slide. This step form of the wedge slideeiects a wedging action when the slide is moved longitudinally. Adjacentone side of the wedge m3 a fixed pin |||1 is secured in the topof theseaming roller arm 8| and carries a roller |08 (see Fig. 8 also). Thechannel |62 in the arm 6| is cut out in a recess |09 to provideclearance for thisv roller.

On the opposite side of the wedge |53 a roller is mounted on a pin ||2which is carried in a lug ||3 formed as an integral part of a plate IM.The lug extends through the side wall ofthe channel |02 in a slot H5 cutin the cam roller arm 5| (see also Fig. 6). The plate is secured to theoutside of the arm, one end being held in a tight tting groove |6 cut inthe lug 95 while its other end is held by an adjusting screw 1 whichpasses through the plate and is threadedly engaged in the arm. Thisconstruction permits of adjustment of the roller relative to the cam arm6| thereby providinga means of shifting the seaming roller arm direlative to the cam arm in order to bring'the seaming rollerinto axialalignment with the cam roller. .This adjusting or set-` ting of theseaming roller into its proper position is done before actual operationof the machine begins.

Relative movement of the arms 6|, 8| in one direction, moves the seamingroller into seaming position.' This action is effected by a forwardmovement (to the right) of the wedge slide ||l| which moves the wedgeVH13 between the rollers |08, causing them to ride up on the step wall.,|55 and to thereby spread the arms apart orshift them relative to eachother against the resistance of the spring 93 and into the position ofFig. 6. For this purpose the wedge slide |0| at its rear end, i. e.opposite to the wedge en d |03, is enlarged and is provided withatapered cam slot |2| (Figs. 5 and 6). The slot is disposed adjacent thecentral axis of the cam roller arm sleeve S2 and engages with anangularly positioned cam ilnger |22 having tapered surfaces |23 whichcorrespond and engage with the tapered surfaces of the cam slot. The camvfinger is formed on the bottom of a vertical plunger |24 which isslidably disposed inside the sleeve 62.

The plunger is moved up and down in the sleeve to actuate or impart ab'ack and forth movement "to the wedge slide IM. For this purpose theplunger extends above thel top of the sleeve and carries a collar |25which is secured in lace by a screw |26. The collar is termed with anannulai groove |21 which is engaged by a pair of roll ers |28 mounted onthe inner'ends of pins |29 carried in the bifurcated end of a lever |3|(Figs. 2, 3 and' 5).

The lever is disposed adjacent the seaming cam 41' and at its'oppositeAend it is mounted on a pivot shaft |32 which is carriedtin bearings |33formed on the top of the wall 58 of the rotating head frame 55.Intermediate its ends the lever carries a shouldered' stud |35 which islocked in position by a nut |36. One end of the stud extends beyond thelever and carries a cam roller |31 (Fig. 2) which engages within a camgroove |38 `of the cam 41. It is the rotation of this cam which actuatesthe lever |3|, the plunger |24 Vand wedge slide lill to move the seamingroller into seaming position.

The rotations'of the seaming cam d1 and the head frame 55 are effectedby what is commonly known as differential gearing, which include thegears 46, 53 hereinbefore briey referred to. The gear 53 meshes with agear |4| (Fig. 1) which is l mounted on a vertical continuously movingshaft |42, journaled in a bearing M3, formed in the igusing and abearing IM formed in the web on the shaft id! just below the gear Mi.

The gears Mi, are rotated at a uniform speed but the gear 45, beinglarger than the gear 53 revolves at a slower speed than the gear 53 andthe effect is a retarding movement of the cam d1 relative to therevolving head frame 55; In one complete cycle of operation forcompleting the seaming of a single can, the cam rollers |31 are causedto traverse one half way around the groove |38 in the cam 41.

The shape of the camgroove .|38 is such as to move the wedge |03 forwardbetween the rollers Hi8, causing them to move 'apart and ride up tireseaming operation, being guided around the can in this alignment by thecam roller 61 traversing the pattern cam groove 2|. In this manner, witha simply constructed pattern camv having the same shape as the can andcover contour and with the seamingroller always in alignment with thecam roller during the seaming operation, the seaming roller is compelledto follow the exact contour of the can and cover and hence a properseam, especially at the can corners in the case of non-circular cans, iseffected. v

To. compensate for wear in the seaming roller and still maintain theproper axial alignment betweenthe seaming roller and cam roller, anadjustment is provided whereby the arms 6| 8| may be moved as a unitrelative to the cam groove 2|. This is effected c y an adjusting screw|46 (Figs. 4, 6 andj?) which is carried in a bore |41 formed in a boss|48 of the cam arm 6|. One end of the screw i's provided with a headwhich is formed with a collar |49 which engages the end of the -boss anda reduced slotted part |5| which extends beyond the collar where it isreadily-accessible for l adjustment oi the screw by means of a suitabletool. This part' of the screw head projects .through an opening |52 in aplate |53 which is ment.

'I'he opposite endo! the screw |46 is threaded and engages with wormteeth |55 (Figs. 6 and 7) formed in the skirt 69 ofthe cam roll bushing58. By rotating the screw the, bushing maybe turned The gear 46 mesheswith a gearl d5 mountedl on the screw threads 13 of the'stud 14 and thusraise or lower the cam roller in its track 2|. Adjustment of the camroller in this manner shifts its axis transversely of the groove alongits tapered surfaces and simultaneously shifts both arms 6|, 8| as aunit moving the seaming roller toward or away from the chuck 26 as thecase may be.

After completion of the seaming operation the seaming rollers arewithdrawn to enable removal of the closed can. At this time the camgroove |38 moves the plunger |24 upward and causes the cam iinger |22 toslide thevwedge slide |0| rearward. This action withdraws the wedge |03from between the rollers |08, I I so that the rollers ride oi the steps|04. This shift in position also moves the protuberances |05 intoengagement.

with a pair of pins i6| |52 and causes thepins to ride upon theprotuberances. These pins are disposed one on each side of the wedgeslide (see Fig. 6), the pin |6| being engaged in the upper arm 6| (Fig.9) while the pin |62 is engaged` in the lower arm 8|. Engagement of thepins by the protuberances spreads or moves the pins apart causing arelative movement between the arms in a direction opposite to thathreinbefore mentioned. This movement of the slide aided by the spring-93draws the arms 6|, 8| toward each other and thus positively withdrawsthe seaming rollers from seaming position. This action shifts theseaming roller out of alignment with the cam roller which disalignmentis maintained until the seaming roller arm isagain moved into seamingposition. f The closed can is now removed from the chuck 26 by thelowering of the lift plunger 3|. 'This v removal is assisted by aknockout pad |65 (Figs. 1

and?) which normally is housed witliin a recess |66 formed in the bottomof the chuck. The pad is carried on the end of a vertical rod |67(Fig. 1) which extends up throughthe center of th chuck 26 and cam I9into the cam sleeve 22 where it' joins with a rod |68 by means of atongue and groove connection |69. The upper end of the rod |68 extendsbeyond the sleeve 22 and may be actuated by any suitable means.operating in time with the other moving parts of the machine to stripthe closed can fromthe chuck.-

The description of one seaming roll and associated cam roll mechanismapplies equally as well to the other seaming and cam roll mechanism,there being usually a rst and second operation seaming roll needed, toproduce the well known double seam between can body `flange and coverflange.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe inven-V tion or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages., the formhereinbefore described'being merely a' preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: i 1. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies,the combination of a seaming roller `arm, a seaming roller on said armfor interfolding parts of a said can and cover, a canr roller armassociated with said seamingroller arm, a cam roller on said cam rollerarm, acam track for' ally aligning said rollers, and adjusting means forshifting said cam roller in said. cam track for moving said armslaterally as a unit relative to said can and cover for effecting a likerelative lateral movement of said seaming roller while maintaining itsaxial alignment with said cam IOlll.

2. In a. seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, thecombination of a seaming roller arm, a seaming roller on said arm forinterfolding a part of a said can'and cover, a cam roller armJassociated with said seaming roller arm, a cam roller on said arm, aycam track for guiding said cam roller and said seaming roller relativeto rotation between said rollers and said can and cover, means foradjusting said seaming roller arm relative tosaid cam roller armiforaxially aligning said rollers, adjusting means for shifting said camroller in said cam track for moving said arms laterally as a,unitrelative to said can and cover forie'ecting a like relative lateralmovement of said seaming roller whilemaintaining its axial alignmentwith said cam roller, and means for moving said seaming' roller armindependently of said cam roller arm to dis-align said rollers to permitpositioning of a can and cover to be Seamed and for realigning saidrollers to effect the seaming operation. y

3. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, thecombination of a stationary chuck for holding a can and cover to besearned, a head frame having rotative movement around said chuck,seaming devices including a seaming roller carried o n and rotating withsaid head frame, contour following devices including a tapered cam andcooperating with a stationary tapered cam track for guiding said seamingdew'ces around the contour of said can and cover, means for adiustingsaid-seaming devices relative to said` contour following devices wherebythe rollers will be in axial alignment for the seaming operation,automatic means for moving said seaming roller relative to said camroller and towards and away from said can cover 'while' rotating withsaid head frame for effecting the seaming operation, and adjusting meansfor shifting said roller andgsaid seaming roller as a unit relative tosaid chuck while still maintaining the rollers in ,their axialalignnent. Y

4. In a seaming head for uniting' can covers to can bodies, thecombination of a can support for holding a can and cover during aseaming operation, a head frame having rotative movement relative tosaid support and the can and cover carried thereon, a seaming roller armcarrying a seaming roller for seaming said cover to said canfa cam'roller arm associated with said seaming,l roller arm and carrying a camroller, a stationary cam track in which said cam roller 'operatesforguiding said seaming r'oller, around the contourvof said can and cover,vmeans for axially aligningdsaid rollers for the seaming operation whilestillpermitting relative movement between them, and adjusting meansoperable at will for shifting said cam roller in said camy track formoving said arms as' a unitV relative'to said can and cover whilemaintaining the axial alignment between said rollers.

5. rIn a. seaming head f uniting container lcovers to container bodies,the combination o f a seaming roller for interfolding parts of thecontainer and cover, a cam roller associated with said seaming rollerand adapted to movey in a controlled path relative to saidcontainer andcover,

into alignment with said cam roller for-performa cam track for producingthe controlled guiding of said cam roller, and means for adjusting saidrollers 'as a unit relative to said cam track so as to eect a lateraladjustment of said seaming roller.

6. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, thecombination of a seaming roller for interfolding parts of the lcan andcover, a cam roller associated with said seaming roller and adapted tomove in a controlled path of travel relative to said container andcover, a tapered cam track for guiding said cam roller, and means foradjusting said cam roller in said tapered cam track to laterally adjustsaid rollers as a unit while maintaining axial alignment therebetween.

7. In a seaming head for uniting can covers to can bodies, thecombination of a sea'ning roller for interfolding parts of the can andcover, a cam roller movably associated with said seaming roller, a camtrack for guiding said rollers as a unit around said can cover, meansfor adjusting said seaming roller into axial alignment with said camroller, means for adjusting said aligned rollers as a unity relative tosaid cam track so as to effect a lateral adjustment of said seamingroller ing the seaming operation.

`8. In a seaming head for uniting cancovers to'v can bodies, thecombination of a seaming roller arm, a seaming roller on said arm forinterfolding parts of a can and cover, a cam' roller arm` associatedwith said seaming roller arm, a cam -roller on said cam roller arm, acam track for guiding said cam roller and said seaming roller relativeto rotation between said rollers and said can and cover, and means foradjusting said cam roller in said cam track for moving said armslaterally as a unit relative to said can and cover.

for adjusting said cam roller relative to said cam track in a directionsubstantially parallel to the llongitudinal axis of the container bodywhereby to eifect a lateral adjustment of said seaming roller.relativeto said container body.

NEILS P. BACH.

